


(No) Trumpets or Bells

by LadyKG



Category: Marvel, Naruto
Genre: Crossover, Dimension Jumping, F/M, I swear, M/M, More tags to be added, Naruto no longer dreams for the hat, Naruto x Avengers, Naruto x Doctor Strange, Naruto x Marvel, Naruto x X-men, Sasuke is done with everyone's shit, This is crack, dimensional-travel, is also oblivious, it's just for fun, mostly - Freeform, sort of, they try to get home, this is meant to be short
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2018-11-03 20:43:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10974975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKG/pseuds/LadyKG
Summary: "So let me get this straight, you two," the doctor - something the man had insisted on being titled - looks between them, "are dimension traveling ninja that can control chakra and you got here because blondie was messing with these squiggles-""Seals," Naruto corrects readily, rubbing his side where Sasuke had elbowed him to keep his mouth shut at the 'blondie' comment."-Seals while you had a fight and momentarily lost control of an unknown amount of energy. And now you want me to help you get back home.""Yeah, that's pretty much it."OR the one where Naruto accidentally sends Sasuke and himself into the Marvel universe and chaos ensues.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Namizake Riders](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/292212) by EpikalStorms. 



> ‘Ello my lovely readers!  
> I hope you are all doing well, and that this story meets all your crossover needs. It is marvel universe based, a mix of movies and comics as I have experience in both areas. (Mostly movies for simplicity sake, however). Because of that it will feature everyone from the x-men to doctor strange to spider man to the avengers and so on.  
> But I do warn you I have no idea how long this story will be and it will most likely not be super long. But it is also a bit of a slow-burn as far as the main pairing goes between Sasuke and Naruto. Other than that I only really should tell you that updates will be a bit sporadic but I’ll do my best to keep them on a somewhat regular schedule - life is hectic, not much to be done about that.  
> The inspiration from this came from - EpikalStorms "The Namikaze Riders"!  
> (Title comes from the song Rose of Tyrone by Enter the Haggis).  
> Anyway, onto the first chapter! Hope you all enjoy and please review!

“So let me get this straight, you two,” the doctor - something the man had _insisted_ on being titled - looks between them, “are dimension traveling ninja that can control chakra and you got here because blondie was messing with these squiggles-“

“Seals,” Naruto corrects readily, rubbing his side where Sasuke had elbowed him to keep his mouth shut at the ‘blondie’ comment.

“-Seals while you had a fight and momentarily lost control of an unknown amount of energy. And now you want me to help you get back home.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much it,” Naruto smiles, too wide and too sharp compared to what it once was. It was a pretty summary of what they had just spent an hour trying to explain; they didn’t exactly have all the words to properly detail their situation after all. English is a difficult language to piece together, and they have managed admirably for the past year, in Naruto’s humble opinion. But they are unfamiliar with certain translations and that makes it difficult to be precise in their explanation. There is more to it, of course, there always is. But this Doctor Strange doesn’t need the details of their fight, nor information about Kurama - some things are just better left unsaid and a giant furry biju living in his abdomen is one of them. Besides, he feels that their emphasis on the fact the seal more or less _tore_ the chakra from them like those leaches in the Forest of Death was a predominantly integral portion of their story.

The man nods, placing hands onto old leather and rising to his feet, “Alright, let me see what I can do.”

“See,” he beams at his partner, “I told you he would help.”

“Hn.”

“How long have you been here?” Strange calls back from where he is rifling through books and papers that cascade messily all over the room. One would think a Sorcerer Supreme would be neater - but then again Naruto has little room to talk. His apartment had always been haphazardly organized before Hinata and he had moved in together. And now Sasuke all but forces him to keep their living quarters tidy on pain of death by ramen withdrawal.

“A year,” Sasuke answers curtly for them.

“A year? And you are only now seeking me out?”

“It took a while to learn your language,” Naruto rubs the back of his neck, letting out a laugh that can be taken as embarrassed (a diversion from the facts). The truth is Sasuke had the language down near fluently in six months with Naruto not far behind, but they were more than reluctant to seek outside help for their problem. They do not know who is and is not trustworthy in this world - from what they have seen it holds many factions of people, separated by ability, belief, and country alike. All with their own agendas and some more than happy to take advantage of any possible asset made available to them - and Naruto and Sasuke would most definitely fall under that category. However, even Kurama has no answer to their current predicament, and all the research and experiments they have done led to nothing they can use.

“It explains the accents,” Strange accesses. “Japanese, right?” The man continues without giving them the time to respond, “Well, if you’ve been here this long I assume you have a place to live, if not you’re welcome to stay.”

“We thank you for the offer, but we must decline,” Sasuke’s words come polite and final.

“Oh, well, you’re welcome here anytime,” he offers easily, several heavy tombs thumping onto his desk. “There’s a business card with my number and email on the coffee table to your right. If you could leave yours as well that would be fantastic. I’m not sure how long my research will take so I’ll call you when I find something.”

They comply, because after a year in this strange world they are more than ready to go home. And although they do not have an email, they have both picked up phones as most jobs - even part time ones - require them. (They rarely use them to call each other, they know how easily such devices can be tapped - it’s why shinobi do not use radios on missions despite them being readily available).

Their goodbyes are less than curt.

* * *

 

It all starts when he is on the Hokage Mountain, sitting atop his father’s head that stares out at the village beneath him. A view that he can barely bring himself to look at anymore, the bright lights and wandering streets leave him feeling nothing. It has been a long time since he’s been able to get past the grey fog hovering like a curtain. Hinata has noticed as much, and despite her attempts to cheer him up there is a part of him that knows their marriage is a portion of the problem.

He loves her, and his children. Cares for them with all the fire that he can muster. But that flame has dimmed more and more the closer his coronation comes. The thought of sitting behind that weighted desk piled with mission reports, and council requests that leave Kashi-sensei’s shoulders more slumped each day makes his chest feel tight with something he can’t bring himself to name as panic. Yet, he cannot blame the mantle of Hokage completely for the lack of life in their relationship. It’s something more. A feeling he cannot quiet place. As if something is missing.

So he finds himself here, seated on the heads of leaders that came before him, wondering if they felt the same before being burdened with the hat. Wondering if his parents would be proud of what he has done and what he has been thinking of doing. Wondering and fiddling with his newest creation, because studying seals and learning new jutsu have been his most pleasurable times as of late. Especially those seals concerning the hiraishin; it takes a sort of chakra control and finesse that Naruto lacks. So with what he is able to glean off his dad’s old notes and talks with the old guards he has been attempting to modify the jutsu to allow for less precise control.

He thinks he’s getting close.

And that bubbles an excitement in him, a similar excitement to the one that comes with each letter from Sasuke. His old teammate giving Naruto, not future-leader-of-the-leaf-Naruto, but _Naruto_ scrolls detailing his travels and soul-searching journey. One that will be leading back to Konohagakure within the next few hours to attend a coronation Naruto is dreading. Perhaps seeing Sasuke again will be able to squash whatever haze has taken over. (A voice somewhere in him whispers that it will only make it worse).


	2. Chapter 2

 

[ _“Speaking JAPANESE when in marvel universe ONLY”_

“Speaking English or other language when specified. Speaking Japanese when in Naruto verse of Naruto mindscape.”

**“Kurama speaking when naruto is in mindscape.”**

**_“Kurama speaking in naruto’s thoughts.”_ **

_‘Thinking’_ ]

* * *

 

Sasuke arrives a day before his coronation. Naruto meets him at the gates with a smile brighter than any he has worn in years. Babbling about things that have changed since his last visit as he leads the Uchiha to his apartment - Hinata and his children out for the day visiting the Hyuga. He talks with bright eyes and gestures and excitement. Because this is _Sasuke._ And with Sasuke he doesn’t have to pretend. Doesn’t have to be anyone other than _Naruto_. Doesn’t have to be the Hokage-to-be, a husband, a father, a hero of war. With Sasuke he just is, and more than anything that sets him free.

“You’re an idiot.”

Sometimes though.

“You can’t actually think this seal is a good idea.”

Sometimes Naruto wants to shove a rasengan into his stomach and run.

* * *

 

It’s a full body hurt when the blankness of the void leaves him, aching in a way that for a moment he thinks it was just a spar with Sasuke. Just a dream that he completed the seal. Just a dream that they fought, and suddenly… Suddenly…

He lets his chakra spread, feels the energy in the world around him; he has never been the best sensor, but nature chakra has always aided him in that when it was critical. And here, wherever _here_ is, there is less than what he is used to. Even the barren sands of Suna hold more, sifting daringly through the ever changing landscape but still more than _this._

Sasuke, he can feel even without sage mode, is alive some feet away. It settles a bubble of relief in his chest to know that at least he won’t be dealing with whatever the seal did alone. Even if Sasuke will blame him for it, pester him and reprimand him for being so _‘stupid, irresponsible, and reckless’._ Still better than being alone.

(He has Kurama, but it’s not the same).

It smells like Ame is the first thing he thinks as he cracks his eyes open. Ame with its damp rain, and something stale, metallic that reminds him of oil and fire, dirty with a stench he can’t place. (He is more than happy to not be Kiba or Kakashi in this moment; he doesn’t even want to _imagine_ what this would smell like with their advanced senses).

But it doesn’t _look_ like Ame. In fact it doesn’t look like any of the hidden villages that he knows of. The ground is pebble black and slightly damp, the buildings on either side rough to the touch as he levers himself up. There are trash bins and pipes and splinters of wooden planks by a pile of cans leaning against a metal fence a few steps away - all normal sights one could see even in Konoha. But the sight of the landscaping outside the alley is something he has never seen before. Buildings that practically scrape the sky - even Ame’s towers didn’t reach such heights - sheeted in glass and Naruto doesn’t understand how they don’t tumble down at the faintest wind. (Unless that’s where all their nature chakra is going. The people here channeling that energy into reinforcing the structures, yet he would have felt it should that be the case, seals could cover their energy trace in the buildings but the drain from the surrounding area would be obvious. There is no drain. Just… emptiness, like nothing was ever there to begin with). And there is a strange sound in the background, mixed casually with the horns and the chatter of people. It grates, and reminds him mildly of those carts that merchants would wheel into the village.

_‘Kurama?’_

**_“I’m here, kit,”_** the fox rumbles, but his voice sounds tired - it seems the seal stole chakra from him too.

_‘What happened?’_ Naruto asks, forcing his tired legs to move over to his old teammate.

**_“You’re damned seal happened,”_** the fox snaps, **_“that Uchiha of yours was right for once.”_**

Naruto lets out a huff, sliding back down to the strange ground and shaking Sasuke’s shoulder, more than ready to leap out of the way should the Uchiha attack. _“Hey, teme, get up_!” The kunai embeds into the wall, lightening chakra still buzzing in the metal. Naruto looks back down with a raised eyebrow, _“Good morning to you too, sunshine.”_

_“What the hell did you do?”_ Sasuke grits out, but his voice is resigned and he doesn’t move away from the blond’s help at getting him on his feet.

Naruto gives a beaming smile, rubbing the back of his neck and squinting his eyes under his friend’s daggered glare, _“Heh, the seal_ might _have malfunctioned.”_

_“Malfunctioned.”_

_“At least it didn’t explode.”_

_“You’re an idiot.”_

_“I’ll drop you.”_

_“I dare you.”_

He doesn’t. Instead they lean themselves against the wall, breathing slightly askew in their chests. Their situation is less than ideal. Two shinobi, as powerful as they are, lost in an unknown area with no information beyond the misfiring of a newly created and untested space-time seal that could have sent them anywhere. _Any when._

_“I don’t think we’re in the elemental nations,”_ Naruto says, watching the sky overhead as it darkens with the setting sun.

_“What gave it away?”_ Sasuke snorts the rhetorical question, but strangely he doesn’t seem entirely bothered by the idea. (Naruto doesn’t dare admit that he isn’t either).

He can’t stop the small smile, though it disappears quickly, _“The amount of nature chakra.”_

_“We could summon.”_

_“We’re nearly dry.”_ Naruto shakes his head, knowing that pulling Kurama’s chakra now would be suicidal.

_“Hn,”_ the Uchiha phrase comes out. An admittance, if nothing else, that he’s in the same situation - and Naruto _knows_ that Sasuke is only making it worse by refusing to deactivate his sharingan and rinnegan. As skilled as he is with controlling the chakra output into his dojutsu (Sasuke had explained it to him once, but Naruto will confess that he was a bit distracted at the time) that doesn’t mean it doesn’t use _any_ chakra to keep active.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” A voice calls down the alley, thick with mockery and Naruto holds in a sigh at the lilt in the tone he _knows_ comes from lowly civilian thugs. Even if he can’t understand what is being said - the language gibberish to his ears, and isn’t _that_ concerning - he knows that they only mean trouble. They both look up, meeting the sneers and smug faces of five civilian dressed idiots. Seriously, one would think that they would know better than to antagonize two shinobi.

“Looks like a couple of mutants if you ask me,” another of the group of five snickers. And… that’s a new one.

“What do you say we teach them a lesson, boys?” The one Naruto names the leader grins wide, baring his teeth in what Naruto thinks is supposed to be a threatening manner. Really, it only makes him look constipated.

This is how it starts.

A thug wielding a metal pipe makes a swing at Sasuke first - apparently assuming that he is the lesser of the two threats and attempting to take him out as an easier target.

This is how it ends.

Five bruised and knocked out men are later found in the alley by a couple; the incident is posted on the second to last page of a local newspaper.

* * *

 

_“Did you understand them?”_ Naruto asks, hoping that he had a moment of insanity.

_“No,”_ Sasuke tells him flatly as they slip along the shadows of the streets looking for a place to settle for the night. _“And I didn’t sense them approach. They had no chakra.”_

_“We definitely aren’t in the elemental nations then,”_ Naruto lets his concern bleed through. Every living thing has chakra. If these people don’t, yet are clearly alive, then it can only mean the seal has sent them farther from home then he hoped. _“Do you think this could be like the time Kaguya brought us the other worlds?”_

_“It’s possible,”_ Sasuke concedes after a moment’s pause. _“But we don’t have Obito or the Sage of six paths to bring us back this time.”_

They end up camping in a forest they find some time into their search. The trees are smaller than what they are used to but they provide adequate shelter and are more common ground than the buildings that surrounded them earlier. And it makes Naruto feel mildly better to feel an increase in natural chakra.

* * *

 

Summoning does not work. Hand seals, chakra and a cloud of smoke later leads to nothing.

It means their only hope is to recreate the seal and try and figure out what happened.

Sasuke is less than enthusiastic about this plan. But Naruto would like to point out that Sasuke is less than enthusiastic about _any_ plan the blond comes up with.


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto has never been more jealous of the sharingan than in this moment. Sasuke’s ability to memorize entire dictionaries of this language is simply _not fair._ Especially when he has to read through book after book of Japanese (which they found out is what _their_ language is called in this world) to English translation. He’s almost positive that the librarian can recognize them on sight by now.

(The worst part is that they can’t _do_ anything until they get identities, something that is a lot harder than just stating your name in this world. Meaning they’re stuck in this country - America - until they can figure out a way to get home.

Finding jobs had been even harder; they had eventually found a small section of the eastern part of this city - New York - that spoke their language and a restaurant there was more than happy to give them part time work while paying them under the table. And even though Naruto knows making deliveries on a stolen motorcycle (Sasuke claims it’s not stolen if the seller ‘willingly’ gave it to them) is only temporary, that doesn’t mean he has to like it. Even treating this entire experience as an undercover mission couldn’t lighten the boredom).

_“Why the hell is it a_ ‘pair of pants’ _if there’s only one object_?” Naruto squints down at the English sentence.

_“Same reason it’s said_ ‘they are nice’ _instead of_ ‘it is nice’ _for pants,”_ Sasuke tells him plainly.

_“That’s not helpful.”_

_“I’ll be helpful when you tell me why_ ‘leaving for good’ _doesn’t mean leaving for a good reason,”_ Sasuke hisses back.

Naruto lets his head hit the desk with a groan, _“What is_ wrong _with this language?”_

_“Clearly it was created by idiots.”_

* * *

 

But they manage. Eventually. It takes longer than either of them really want to admit, and they are far from completely fluent - it is hard to not stutter at times when they are unsure of the grammar.

Hard, but not impossible, and they are more proficient in listening which makes it easier to understand whatever situation they are in. (Although Doctor Strange has helped significantly with that as well; it’s only been a week, and yet the man has already called them to disprove several theories about the seal and possible ways to get home).

“-still haven’t uncovered the source of the energy burst that New York experienced over a year ago,” a newswoman reports on the television that the humble little shop they work in keeps on for the customers. “The strange burst was measured by SHIELD who, sources claim, still do not know what the energy consisted of. Scientists around the world are continuing their attempts to track it-“

“Naruto,” Sasuke interrupts his concentration, holding a plastic bag of steaming food in front of his face, “delivery. Address is on the note.”

He takes the plastic bag without complaint, although he would much rather be training or sparing with Sasuke than taking _another_ ride through the streets of New York. A city, that although claims to be one of the most modern and forward thinking in this world, still hasn’t completely accepted the existence of mutants.

(Ever since they learned that it had been the assumption that Sasuke’s eyes meant they were mutants that drew in that first group of thugs the Uchiha has kept them deactivated. Naruto can tell that it bothers his friend. The way Sasuke seems jumpier and pricklier is evidence enough of that).

His bike’s engine roars to life underneath him and with little pause he rides out into the crowded street, orange helmet a beacon amongst the darker toned vehicles. It’s the middle of rush hour and this is the third delivery he has had to make. Even with his bike the traffic is slow going, and it’s not long before he is debating whether or not to simply walk the rest of the four blocks he has left.

It’s then that he sees it. Not that it’s exactly _discrete._ In fact, it’s the exact opposite and it makes him wonder about the people in this world that they wouldn’t step in to help out.

A group of people surround a young teenager, mocking laughter filling the air. Kurama rumbles within him, ears pricked forward as the fox makes note of the malicious intent rolling in waves off the emotions around them.

“Hey!” Naruto calls out, pulling his bike to the side and ignoring the honking that his maneuver draws out. “What the hell are you doing?”


	4. Chapter 4

Sasuke is going to kill him. As in, kill him to _death._ All because he couldn’t stand by and watch as someone was so openly harassed for something they had no control over - something they were _born_ with. And it wasn’t like the little kid’s mutation was exactly hurting anyone else. In fact, Naruto isn’t even sure what the mutation _was,_ but the ranting of the discriminators about how mutants all deserved to die was a dead giveaway to what was going on.

Still, regardless of the kid’s innocence, and the fact they had no means to protect themselves - regardless that Naruto was just trying to _help -_ Sasuke was going to stick him through with a sword.

How was _he_ supposed to know that people would film his interference and it would be posted on practically every news station by the time he returned to the little restaurant?

_“So much for lying low,”_ he muttered to himself, already having abandoned the bike’s license plate behind an alley two blocks away and sealed his helmet into a scroll. He had caught sight of his stunt on a passing screen and _knew_ that people would track everything back to the restaurant, there was no way they _couldn’t._ He hadn’t exactly been discrete and hadn’t thought twice about delivering the food afterwards. And he knew enough about how vehicles worked in this world to understand that the string of digits and letters on the plate of his bike could be traced. Even with it currently not attached Naruto knows that they can’t risk it.

So they’ll need to move on, find another job, and switch to a different abandoned building if they wanted to continue living in relative peace. All the same, Naruto does not regret making the decision to help.

He slinks into the restaurant, trying to be quiet but barely manages to make it through the back door before he has to dodge three kunai and ends up slammed against the wall for his troubles. And Naruto suddenly has to try very hard not think of all the other times he has imagined himself in a similar position and how _that_ ended, because Sasuke is most definitely not looking at him with the same type of fire in his eyes.

_“What the hell, teme?”_ He asks.

_“That’s my line,”_ Sasuke snaps. _“What were you thinking? You know we need to stay low.”_

_“I was thinking,”_ Naruto matches Sasuke’s anger. It’s natural, something they both have always been good at - rising to the other’s level, rising to the bait. He pushes the arm away with enough force to make Sasuke take a step back. _“I was thinking that a little kid was being ganged up on and needed some help. I didn’t realize it would be posted all over the news!”_

_“Hn,”_ Sasuke narrows his eyes but the fire for a fight has left them. _“What did you do with the bike?”_

_“I got rid of the plate,”_ Naruto steps away from the wall. _“The bike’s out back.”_

Sasuke nods, _“At least you’re smart enough to do that much, dobe.”_

_“Teme.”_ Naruto can’t help the small smile that works across his face. Because having Sasuke back, _really_ back, has made him happier than he’s been in years. When Sasuke left the village the second time, even though Naruto knew he wasn’t leaving their friendship, was trying only to find himself again, it had still _hurt._ Had still taken something from him that he only now realizes is paramount to his very existence. _“What now?”_

_“We can’t stay here.”_

Naruto snorts, _“Thanks for stating the obvious.”_

Sasuke ignores his comment, moving towards the door, _“We’ll need to find new jobs.”_

_“And a new home.”_

A sigh is let out through the Uchiha’s nose, _“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”_

_“It won’t happen again?”_ Naruto tries to placate, but it comes out more as a question than a definite answer and that assuredly has a lot to do with Sasuke’s response.

_“I doubt that.”_

But still, it makes indignation rise up like a fire inside him, _“Yeah, well, I don’t see what’s wrong if it_ does. _These people are being tortured for something they can’t control! I can’t just sit back and let it happen.”_

Sasuke looks at him steadily as he takes out two spare helmets - both black - and hands one over to Naruto. _“I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m saying that this is not our world.”_

_“But we’re here now, and we should do_ something _before we leave,”_ Naruto presses as he swings his leg over the bike.

_“You and your hero complex,”_ Sasuke says, wrapping his arm around Naruto’s waste, but Naruto can hear the small smile that is on his lips.

_“You just tried to hide yours by running away.”_

_“Look who’s talking,”_ Sasuke snorts against his neck, _“you’re the one who ran from getting the hat.”_

_“I did not_ run. _”_ He starts the bike, and peels off into the streets.

_“You created a seal that opens portals between dimensions.”_

_“Being Hokage had nothing to do with it.”_

_“Like Hinata and the kids didn’t either.”_

_“What about Sakura and Sarada?”_

_“Hn.”_

They’re quiet for the rest of the ride home. They’ve had this argument before - not many times, but enough to know the ropes and what buttons to push. It’s a pointless one, they both know, but it comes up with under currents and reasoning well beneath the surface that Naruto hasn’t quite grasped yet.

_“Did you ever think that this is where we would end up?”_ Naruto speaks up later that night, over their meal of leftover pizza and rice.

_“Where? A different dimension or running away from families we don’t want?”_

_“Both.”_

_“No,”_ Sasuke puts his bowl of rice to the side. _“I thought I would kill my brother and become ANBU captain.”_

Naruto raises and eyebrow, _“What about bringing back the Uchiha clan?”_

Sasuke glances at him, _“There’s Sarada.”_

Naruto snorts but doesn’t comment further and the conversation is dropped.

 

* * *

 

They manage to muddle through a week without a job, and another two days of avoiding confrontation from Doctor Strange about Naruto’s little stunt. But it all comes to a head, in the end, because the next time they run into discrimination they’re together and the victims have already been half beaten.

Sasuke takes one look at him and then rolls his eyes, _“Dobe.”_

But he doesn’t protest when Naruto moves forward to intervene, hood drawn up. In fact, Sasuke is at his side, and they move together without a hitch - stopping the crowd of ten or so thugs within minutes.

They drop the two off at a hospital - ignoring the whispers and looks they get at appearing in the lobby in a quick burst of shunshin from the street and disappearing just as fast. They make sure to keep their heads down, and face away from as many camera angles as possible.

They don’t so much spiral from there as free-fall into a pattern of stepping in and helping whoever is in need - regardless of status as a mutant or not. It draws attention, because how could it not? And they end up having to follow in Kakashi-sensei’s footsteps with making it an art to cover up their faces as much as possible in the split seconds before their more impromptu fights. But Naruto doesn't regret it, regardless of moving around constantly, and having to jump between odd jobs. And he can tell that Sasuke doesn’t either - the bastard even seems to be enjoying himself, if anything.

That is, until people start taking out their big guns. And by people, Naruto means the gangs, government, and international organizations - such as SHIELD. It’s nothing too bad at first; they’ve dealt with guns of all sizes since they’ve picked up roles as vigilantes. But then the foreign technology starts to become more common with criminal and gangs, and Naruto is almost positive that the stuff they’re up against at the moment is illegal.

Not that it’s making a difference - illegal or not, it’s still on the streets and it’s still being aimed at him right then.

For the most part they have refrained from chakra usage - because these people are _civilians._ And, despite the fact they are attacking innocent people, using any jutsu would straight out kill them. But, ducking to the side and behind a vehicle, Naruto is starting to think that maybe a jutsu or two wouldn’t be the worst idea.

_“Hawk,”_ he calls out.

_“Here,”_ Sasuke answers and Naruto can hear the frustration in his voice despite how calm it comes off. Because they’ve been fighting these people for ten minutes and that stupid machine the bald one is holding acts like Pein’s jutsu that pulled and pushed everything, except it doesn’t have a five second recharge - it has a two second one.

_“Jutsu,”_ he flips up onto a wall, shooting off in time to avoid a blast of light that makes the rock crumble. They’re fighting in the streets of New York, and Naruto knows that if they don’t wrap this up bigger heroes will show up and avoiding that would be nice. Sasuke and he may be known by now, but The Avengers work for SHIELD and avoiding any agencies that may use them had been one of their agreements.

Not even a few seconds later a fireball the size of a mini-van barrels into the group of them, sending them scattering and Naruto wastes no time creating clones to charge in and take their weapons while they are dazed from the blast Sasuke created.

Just in time, too, because there is the flash of red overhead, and Naruto recognizes Thor in an instant.

_“We need to go,”_ Sasuke says, gone before Naruto can even agree. He leaves one clone behind, to guard the criminals and weapons, and with orders to pop the second both have been safely transferred to the arriving group of heroes.

They leave in opposite directions, weaving through alleyways and ducking into the subway, putting on henges (Naruto’s at least, is solid and can withstand the scrutiny of this world’s technological advances in cameras) and getting lost in crowds before arriving back home.

_“Those weapons,”_ Sasuke starts, pulling back his hood and slipping his mask off. _“I think they were alien technology from the invasion.”_

_“Makes sense,”_ Naruto hums. _“It means whatever cleanup plans SHIELD had didn’t work. Which means more work for us.”_

Sasuke looks at him, as he moves towards their make-shift kitchen. Naruto can feel his teammate’s eyes following him the entire way. _“What, teme? Do I have something on my face?”_

_“You haven’t talked about going home for a while.”_

Naruto stops, hand pausing in reaching out to grab a water bottle, unsure of what Sasuke is trying to get at. So what he hasn’t mentioned going home?

**_“The Uchiha is worried, Kit.”_** Kurama rumbles from inside with a snort, **_“Who knew those bastards could feel anything.”_**

_“We have Doctor Strange looking into it,”_ he says for lack of anything else, looking down at his hands and the water bottle now in them.

Sasuke walks up to stand beside him, the silence holding a weight Naruto isn’t sure he wants to be carried between them. With a sigh that leaves through his nose, Sasuke reaches up and smacks Naruto upside the head, _“Dobe.”_

It communicates more than any other words would ever hope to, and Naruto feels so light he could fly. The smile that he sends Sasuke’s way is blinding, and it stretches like a well-worn ache across his face.

_“Sasuke-teme.”_

* * *

 

It’s another three months before Doctor Strange gets back to them with the simple message that he has yet to find anything, but will keep looking. Naruto isn’t so sure that he’ll want to go back even if a way does present itself, however.

Here, in this world, he has Sasuke. He has his freedom, without burden of duty to his family that he no longer considers himself a part of. He has Sasuke by his side. He has adventure, and battle, no paperwork or long winded lessons on international politics and history and law. He has his best friend back.

And maybe he misses his friends. Misses the Konoha twelve, and his sensei and everyone, but no longer having a clouded mist covering everything he sees and feels dampens that pain.

He isn’t sure he wants to go back.

And he isn’t sure Sasuke wants to either.

But they don't talk about it. One day they will be forced to. One day the choice will present itself and they will have to talk in depth about what it is they want. But that day isn’t today and Naruto can say with a good portion of surety that it isn’t tomorrow either. He can’t say he minds.

Especially not when Sasuke is leaning against him, having fallen asleep as they sat at the window of the abandon building they call home.

He knows, though, that if Sasuke wants to return to the elemental nations then Naruto will follow him, because that’s what he has always done and will always do.

**_“Kit, I don’t mean to interrupt your sappy thoughts, but we’ve got company.”_ **

Right. No chakra signatures means it is harder to detect when someone was approaching, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. He feels a seal flair in the fourth floor stairwell and Naruto huffs out a breath.

_“Oi, teme.”_ He jostles his shoulder, _“Get up, they found us again.”_

His eyes crack open, _“We should just tell them to fuck off in person.”_

Naruto rises to his feet, forcing Sasuke to take his own weight or fall to the side. They could wait and have a face-to-face confrontation. But from the files that Doctor Strange has given them, and the explanation about what exactly SHIELD wants from them - to join the Avengers Initiative - Naruto can’t say whether or not that’s the best idea. On one hand, it stands that they are here now and that helping out to keep the city safe is something that they have been doing. Yet, on the other hand, it would mean pledging loyalty to this organization, it would be pledging loyalty to something beyond his village and his people and Sasuke. When he had told Sasuke as much the Uchiha had snorted and said that he was over thinking it. But that hadn’t stop him from feeling the way he does.

The seal on the fifth floor flared.

_“Fine,”_ Naruto says, pulling on his hood and mask. _“Have it your way.”_

The flare on the seventh floor goes off and Naruto doesn’t miss the way someone has come in through one of the many broken windows a few broken walls to their left. He stands his ground, chakra at the ready and very much aware of exactly how Sasuke’s stands at his side - the Uchiha’s eyes flaring with his dojutsu.

The door opens ahead of them just as Iron Man comes from around the bend of a beam. Everyone goes still. Whether because the team is surprised that he and Sasuke have not fled already or, because they are unsure of how to further approach the situation, Naruto doesn’t know.

“I told you the intel was right,” Iron Man’s - Tony Stark - distorted voice sounds smug and light-heartedly into the tension.

The one that Naruto recognizes as Captain America - Steve Rogers - doesn't acknowledge his teammate’s statement, eyes solely placed on Sasuke and him. It’s not nearly as unsettling as the man might think it is.

The man reaches towards his ear with one hand, “Widow, Hawk?”

There is a pause and whatever was said over the communication device seemed to satisfy everyone in the group - it did not do well for Naruto nor Sasuke’s trust of this group. The Avengers or no, they have still been pursing them for the past few months, and it has caused them no small amount of inconvenience to have to move from building to building so often.

“It seems you didn’t get our messages,” Naruto calls out, because there isn’t much else he can do.

“Oh, we got them,” Stark says walking forward. “Not very subtle with all the,” he makes a waving motion with his hand and Naruto assumes he means the array of traps and decoys that they set up. “Very cleaver. You’ll have to explain how you manage to make them invisible.”

Stark takes another step forward and there’s a burst of bright orange, powder reigning down after the man and sticking thickly to his metal gear. A shield flies through the paint dust and Naruto ducks just in time to miss being hit in the head as the weapon bounces off the wall and back to its wielder.

When the powder settles Stark is covered in orange powdered paint and Naruto can’t help the snickers that leave him.

“It’s harmless,” he tells them, teeth showing through his grin. “But it won’t come off for a good week.”

“We’re not here to fight,” Rogers speaks up, “we just want to talk.”

“We’re listening,” Sasuke says evenly.

“Preferably somewhere with less traps,” Stark pipes up. “And less sharp pointy things.”

“Stark.”

“What? I’m just saying we could move this party to my tower.”

Naruto isn’t stupid, and even if he _was_ he would realize what they were doing - getting two potential threats onto their own turf where they could be more easily neutralized. Naruto holds in a snort. Like him and Sasuke would go down ‘easily’. But he also knows that the offer is, in a sense, a peace offering because it is also an invitation into their sanctuary - their home. And that above all else proves that this is truly meant to be just a talk.

_‘Kurama?’_

**_“I sense no malintent from them.”_ **

_“Fox?”_ Sasuke asks.

_“Trusts them enough.”_

Sasuke nods once. “We will follow you.”

“Excellent,” Stark’s suit fires up bringing him a few inches off the floor, “you two can join the rest of our merry band on the quin jet.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ‘Ello lovely readers,
> 
> Just for reference, I’m not really following the marvel cinematic universe all THAT much for this story, it’s mostly like, whatever I feel needs to be added and played with because I read a lot of comics for marvel, and watched all the movies and most of the tv series so like…yeah. But for clarity’s sake I’m mostly using MCU, and a bit of the comics, and the newest spiderman movie. The newest Thor is a thing, and hulk being in space is because of another mission they went on they went slightly south. So this is basically a post Thanos thing where everything goes perfect and happily and the Avengers get back together. I’ll talk about that a bit in here - also Loki is just a nuisance that sometimes helps and sometimes makes their lives worse. Again, this will all be talked about in the fic, but for clarity sake now it needs to be said.

 

Flying in the quin jet is not nearly as fun as Naruto thought it would be. He has never been in a plane before, only seeing the flying machines in passing, but now that he’s on one he can’t say that he enjoys the experience.

_“It’s like a metal deathtrap,”_ Sasuke says as Naruto runs his eyes over each inch of the machine.

_“It’s perfectly safe, I assure you,”_ Black Widow - Natasha - speaks up. It’s not really a surprise that she can speak their language, she’s a spy after all. Although it’s still admitting that she can understand everything that they say. Saying that it doesn’t matter which language they speak, someone will know.

Not that Naruto had any delusions regarding that.

The ride, at the very least, is short. Short enough that any conversation is small and filled with innocuous things like the weather. They land on the roof of what is the Avenger’s tower, and Naruto takes all of a second to realize that escaping won’t be as easy as jumping out a window. The height of the tower and distance from those buildings around it would make it an uncomfortable jump no matter how he looks at it. Kurama will, of course, help in that aspect if it’s really required, but Naruto gets the feeling that an escape won’t be necessary - that this group seems to want them on their team bad enough that they would be willing to let them go and negotiate at a later date if need be.

The floor they took the elevator to was what Naruto recognized as a higher number, from there they were lead to one end of a hall and then behind a simple door. The room was _large._ Almost as if it took up half the space on this level of the building; there was an expansive array of windows showing off a dazzling view of the cityscape, matted floors - the kind he would have found back home. A table that was closer to the floor with pillows for sitting that Naruto knew more well-off people purchased in Konoha. It was decorated for simplicity, with a kitchen that had tiled floors, and several doors that Naruto suspected lead to either storage, or another section of this level.

Stark was already there, fitted in a sharp looking black suit, and turning around will more drama than even Sasuke put into one motion.

“What do you think?” The man made a grand gesture to the space around them, “It was recently refinished. And, I mean, this is just a portion of the benefits when you join.”

“Join?” Sasuke doesn’t look anywhere but at Stark, leading them on with the facade that they had no idea this was what they had been brought here for.

“The Avengers, son,” Rogers moves to stand before them. “You’ve caught our attention, and we think you two would be good for the team.”

“You’ll still be able to protect people,” Natasha adds in, her movement to stand next to Rogers calculated. “Just on a larger scale. And we can offer the resources to help get you home.”

The last part is what really catches his attention; getting home. He knew that Strange had talked with SHIELD and the Avengers but he hadn’t realized to what extent, nor had Strange told them that he had informed anyone about their impromptu dimension travel.

All the same, had he not just explored the idea of spending the rest of his life here, in this dimension, with Sasuke? Had he not already decided that he would follow Sasuke’s lead on whether or not they return to Konoha?

**_“Just because you go back doesn’t mean you need to return to Konoha, Kit. Or take the hat.”_** Kurama rumbled from inside him. Naruto hadn’t really thought about it like that. It is all so automatic in his mind. The elemental nations, home, it all leads back to Konoha and the disappointment of his precious people for running away from a dream that isn’t his anymore. But it doesn’t _have_ to mean that. He could go back with Sasuke and they could travel, spy for Konoha and keep the peace between nations, or simply _be._ Help the smaller nations that he had been so bent on seeing justice for after Pein had explained his story. Something that he had let waste away in the time since the fourth war, that promise he made himself. Home does not mean Konoha. It means his friends, from all nations. It means the way chakra surrounds him. It’s Sasuke.

What he said before stands; he will follow Sasuke. (He will always follow Sasuke. For Sage’s sake, he’s been doing it for so long now that he can’t imagine doing anything else.)

Naruto looks at Sasuke only to find his teammate already has his eyes on him, complete trust in that gaze. It makes his lung catch the breath trying to escape.

Home sounds nice. So nice. They could go to Suna without war, and Taki or Ame, head into Grass country and get so insanely drunk that the world looks like stars and the winds tastes like sunlight. All of it with Sasuke by his side, and him by Sasuke’s.

So he smiles. Bright and wide, with squinting blue eyes - the smile that is reserved solely for Sasuke and situations with ideas that may or may not work out. It earns him an upturn of lips and huff of breath, Sasuke’s head turning away with a swish of black hair that Naruto wants to run his hands through.

“When do we start?” Naruto shifts his focus to the others in the room.

“Great, fantastic,” Stark claps his hands together, “you’ll start as soon as Nat over there contacts Spymaster Fury. But in the meantime how ‘bout some introductions and a tour?”

“Naruto,” and maybe it’s for nostalgia’s sake, or because messing with these people sounds like a good idea, but whatever the reason he can’t bring himself to _not_ use Kakashi’s old opening. “Things I like and dislike,” he shrugs, “hobbies… well I have lots of those. As for dreams…” here he pauses, more because he doesn’t _know._ “I haven’t figured it out yet.”

Sasuke follows in much the same pattern, and Naruto can _see_ the way his friend is itching to smile at the looks on their hosts’ faces.

“Is that some weird alien way of introducing yourself,” Stark looks at Thor to which the blond just shrugs.

“I’m Natasha, the Black Widow,” she introduces herself first. Although she doesn’t bother to add on any of the same details they had. “That,” she points to the man standing a little ways to their side, “is my partner, Clint. Also known as Hawkeye.”

And around they go, from Bruce to Steve, and then to Bucky before finally landing on Thor.

It turns out the question of a tour wasn’t so much a question as a statement, and regardless of what they could have said in response they received a tour. They have access to several, if not all, of the training floors, can go to the other Avenger’s floors if they are given permission by said Avenger, and can enter any communal space. They are also introduced to JARVIS a system for security that is apparently intelligent and something that Naruto _knows_ will make any snooping that much more difficult, if not impossible because of the sheer fact genjutsus simply _doesn’t work_ on recorded technology.

The last part of the tour sees them entering into a facility that looks similar to previous training areas, but this one has technology practically crawling over the walls - more so than any other levels they have seen before.

“Now that you’ve joined our merry band of heroes we’ll need to know what you can do,” Stark tells them.

“It’s so we can work together more efficiently in battle,” Rogers explains, his body rigid in the sternness Naruto expects to see from an ANBU captain reporting to the Hokage.

He holds back a snort at the statement, because he knows what it’s _really_ for - to be able to research ways that they can contain, stop, or kill them in the case they ever decide that the Avenger’s ideals are not in line with theirs anymore.

_Justu, genjutsu, taijutsu, but no fox or susano,_ Naruto signs to Sasuke, because speaking won’t do any good now they know speaking Japanese won’t give them any privacy.

_Sharingan, too,_ Sasuke answers, and it makes sense because he hasn’t exactly _deactivated_ his dojutsu since they let the Avengers find them.

“What do you want us to start with?”

“We were thinking you could spar with one of them,” Stark waves at the others in the room and starts walking towards the other side, “and I’ll, you know, collect some data.”

Sasuke steps forward before Naruto can even take a breath to speak. His partner walks right up to Thor, and despite the height difference manages to look not one bit intimidated. “I would like to spar with Thor, first.”

Thor smiles, in a way that comes off both respectfully and with _excitement,_ if a touch arrogant at the same time. “It would be an honor.”

“Well, let’s get started,” Stark calls, waving everyone else to where he is standing. As Thor and Sasuke enter into a room that could only be described as a glass bunker. “Don't worry about hitting the glass,” Stark says, and Naruto assumes there must be speakers inside the barrier, “it can handle a nuke.”

Sasuke nods, showing that he heard. And Naruto can’t help but smile at all of it - the Avengers, the dimension travel, the pure hilarity at the fact Sasuke is about to take on another god. The god of _thunder_ and _lightning_ at that.

Still, it feels like it’s been a while since he could just sit back and watch Sasuke fight, the last time had been before he left the village and team seven had one last team meet up.

The spar doesn’t start immediately, both opponents sizing each other up. Sasuke is the first one to move, a testing charge that veers to the right and then just as suddenly includes a shunshin bringing him behind Thor. It’s not at his full speed, and he doesn’t have his rinnegan active but it leaves those around him leaning forward.

Thor twists and meets the punch that Sasuke sends his way with a block, sending his other fist towards Sasuke’s stomach. It doesn’t connect. The Uchiha steps to the side, dropping just as suddenly as his leg goes out to kick Thor back. The god takes the hit - a calculated move - and goes with the momentum enough to gain some distance. But Sasuke isn’t letting up, he follows this time a bit faster than before. Thor meets him halfway.

And then the god of thunder _stops._ Naruto lets out a huff of laughter as those around him mutter in confusion. Sasuke himself is not doing much either; the Uchiha simply takes a few steps back and glances over at Naruto.

“Thor,” Clint calls out, “come on, what are you doing buddy?”

“He can’t here you,” Naruto says, because they might as well not waste the breath. “He’s caught in a genjutsu.”

“A what?”

“Illusion,” Natasha translates.

“Is there a way he can break it?” Barnes asks, his eyes set ahead and if Naruto were anyone else - if he were younger even - he wouldn’t have caught the way the man’s fingers twitch slightly. Bad experience then. Clint too, seems uneasy. He’ll have to warn Sasuke not to pull anything on them if they ever spar.

Naruto shrugs, “You don’t have chakra so I don’t know.”

“Chakra?” Stark’s attention zeros in on him.

“Where we come from every living thing has chakra, it’s the combination of spiritual and physical energy that we then use to form jutsu,” Naruto pauses for a moment, “I think the closest translation is technique?”

“And this illusion is one of them?”

Naruto hums out an affirmation.

“Well, can you tell your boyfriend to let Thor out so we can continue the testing?”

“Boyfriend?” He chokes out, face heating up and he can see that Sasuke heard, because his partner’s body does a strange jerk. Naruto has never wanted the floor to swallow him up more than right then. Damn his lack of foresight in not learning enough dotonjutsu. He swallows down the lump in his throat, but his hand automatically goes up to rub at the back of his head, “He’s not- I mean, we’re not-.”

He cuts off at the look in Stark’s eyes. A _knowing_ look.

“Sasuke,” he says instead, hand falling back to his side limply.

Thor comes to not even a moment later, blinking back into reality with a look that is only slightly confused and almost anticipatory. “Impressive, but you’ll need more than a few illusions to take down our enemies.”

Well, Naruto holds in a smirk, Sasuke never could back down from a challenge.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ello lovely readers, THIS IS IMPORTANT:  
> Thanos has NOT happened yet. But the end of Thor Ragnarok happened differently - they made it to earth safely. Although it still stands that Ultron and Civil War didn’t happen.  
> Anything else you guys can piece together from the fic, and even that you could. But because I mentioned it in a previous AN I thought it important to clarify.  
> Anyway, onto the new chapter. Hope you all enjoy!

It had been a low-level genjutsu that he used, one that a chuunin would be able to escape from with a bit of effort. But Thor hadn’t shown any signs of breaking free on his own. It seems that his conclusion on what no chakra would mean was correct - even for supposed gods.

That doesn’t mean they don’t have _other_ methods of handling chakra and jutsu, Sasuke understands, but it means that _they_ themselves cannot defend properly against it.

“You know, my brother does a similar trick,” Thor tells him.

“Loki,” Sasuke tips his head, “don’t him and Doctor Strange use the same energy?”

From what Naruto and he understand Loki, Thor’s brother, did as he pleased in terms of working with the Avengers and their allies. He would sometimes come by and help, but mostly kept to himself and would rarely help even when requested. Apparently Thor’s home world, or realm as some called it, is no longer habitable and the entirety of his people moved to Norway. Really, Sasuke would be more interested in it all if he wasn’t so concerned about making it back to his own home, and trying to keep Naruto in check.

(He knows Naruto does not seem to care if they make it back any time soon. But he also knows Naruto enough that he knows the blonde won’t be _truly_ happy unless they return. Naruto has never been a coward, so facing Konoha and their friends won’t scare him, but Sasuke suspects that Naruto just wants to find himself again. Much like he had when he left Konoha after the war.)

“Similar,” Thor nods, taking a few steps forward, testing. “But don’t let him hear you say that.”

Sasuke doesn’t respond, simply leaps back as Thor charges, going through hand signs as fast as he can, “Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu.”

The fire ball bursts from his lips, he doesn’t put as much chakra into it as he could - he doesn’t want to _actually_ hurt Thor, just singe the god slightly. Part of him expects the thunder god to dodge the fireball, or simply bare it. But what he doesn’t expect is for the fire to expand outward. What he doesn’t expect is to be met with a Thor who is spinning his hammer fast enough to repel the worst of the flames.

He’s a shinobi, however, and such unexpected events don’t even make him blink. It’s practically part of the job description to expect the unexpected.

Instead he unsheathes his blade, running chakra up through his arm, and into the metal, as Thor’s hammer comes down to meet it. There is power behind the strike, but Sasuke understands that the god is also holding back. It doesn't change the way the hit sends a small shockwave down his arm.

He eyes the weapon for a brief second, the impracticality of using a hammer to fight almost makes him snort. Sasuke jumps away after the moment of contact, his eyes blazing as they take in every muscle used in throwing the hammer after him. He dodges the weapon, reaching out with the intention of sending it back to Thor as a distraction. But the second he grabs hold he realizes something is wrong. There is a form of chakra running through the metal - an energy he has never felt before - and he isn’t sure how to interpret it. But that is not what really concerns him. It’s how he can’t _stop_ the hammer. He grabs it but it simply pulls him along with it for the moment his grip holds. In the end, all he can do it watch as it changes course and returns to Thor’s hand.

“What was that?” Sasuke questions, moving into a ready stance as to not let his guard down.

“It is Mjolnir, reforged by dwarves,” Thor spins the weapon in his hand, “it always manages to come back to me.”

It’s not what he meant. He wants to know about the energy, but he supposes that answer will be enough for now, because he has more immediate things to worry about. He dodges back from the swing of Thor’s hammer, efficiently meeting each succeeding strike with either his own sword or by moving from its path.

And then there’s a burst of lightning and Sasuke has only a moment to think. A split second in which his chakra leaps forward. It’s not fast enough, only just creating a steady enough barrier under his skin so that when the burst sends him skidding across the floor it doesn’t actually singe him. The lightning was natural, no energy imbued within it. Completely natural. But how?

He pushes the thoughts away to contemplate later, because he needs to try something - something that could potentially get him killed, whether because of his own inability or because Naruto will beat him into the ground for it.

He charges this time, an excitement in his veins as Thor blocks his strikes. He’ll need to push the god, push him to try that again.

It doesn’t take exceedingly long. All he really needs to do it threaten to use another jutsu, making sure to play through his hand signs at a slower rate to draw attention to them and his intentions. But instead of placing chakra into the technique he focuses it elsewhere, lets it hover just below the surface.

It works, Sasuke can feel the crackle in the air right before Thor calls upon his lightning. It gives him a few precious seconds to gain a bit of ground between them. And this time when the lightning leaps forward he’s ready for it. His arm reaches out, and just as the lightning hits him, in the thousandths of a second that he has, his chakra threads itself into the natural energy. Drawing it to him, and controlling its path so that it comes to sit in Sasuke’s palm much like a chidori. It’s similar his technique, Kirin, only without the same amount of lightning or the thunder clouds.

The lightning crackles, sending a shiver through his arm and making his eyes widen as they take in the way this energy is still so wild. The way his chakra has no tamed it all the way but enough to be on a razor’s edge, it sends a thrill down his spine as he looks at the lightning in his palm with fascination. Glancing over at Naruto he can see a splitting grin across his face. It makes Sasuke himself smile slightly, a warmth filling him that has nothing to do with the crackling heat in his palm.

When he looks back at Thor it’s to see a wide-eyed god of thunder coming towards him. Sasuke lets him, doesn’t even move as Thor reaches out tentatively to let the lightning brush against his hand. He can’t say he isn’t curious as to whether or not it would hurt the god as it’s now imbued with Sasuke’s chakra.

It doesn't, wondrously enough. But perhaps that’s because it is more natural lightning than chakra, even now when it’s tamed to his will.

“How is this possible?” Thor questions, his fingers still attracting trailing sparks of energy.

“Chakra,” Sasuke tells him, because this isn’t exactly a secret. “I infused it into the lightning as it touched my hand.”

“Impressive.” Thor acknowledges, “It will prove useful in battle.”

“Oh my god,” Stark says from outside the glass walls, “they’re team sparkles. Jarvis make note of that.”

Sasuke shoots the man a glare that would have given even Sakura pause in her rampage, but Stark either doesn’t notice or elects to ignore it as he doesn’t react at all. Naruto, however, notices and choses to continue laughing despite the fact. With a huff Sasuke lets the lightning dissipate, “We’re done here.”

And with that he walks to the exit of the testing grounds.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ‘Ello lovely readers,
> 
> For any of you wondering, this is literally just self-indulgent fan service to myself. So like… there are definitely a million better ways to gauge Naruto and Sasuke’s abilities than this, but like… self-indulgence and all that jazz. ANYWAY, onto the new chapter!

 

“Well, blondie, it’s your turn,” Tony turns to him with a clap of his hands, an excitement in his eyes.

Naruto can’t say he isn’t excited to pit himself against one of the famed Avengers, but Sasuke had already claimed Thor’s fight, so it would be down to one of the two super soldiers, as fighting someone without chakra - with training or not - could end poorly. At least if he fights Barnes or Rogers he’ll know that they’ll survive if he isn’t as careful as he could be in the heat of the moment.

“Captain.” He says head tipped back slightly to meet the man’s eyes.

Rogers nods, “Let’s have a good spar.”

Naruto smiles, a laughing curve of his lips that slides to one side, crinkling the whisker marks there. _‘This’ll be fun.’_

Kurama huffs, **_“Let’s just hope this monkey can give us a good fight.”_**

The door is sealed automatically behind them as they enter, and Naruto wastes no time in attacking. The hand sign for clones is more of a habit than a need at this point – he is more than skilled enough in the jutsu to not use it, but something warm and nostalgic always fills him when he does.

Ten. That’s the number he decides on. Letting the crowded room and excess of orange and black shock his opponent long enough to switch out with one of the clones in the back. A simple tactic, and one he has used more times than he can count.

He watches with interest as the first of the clones engage with the captain. The shield, Naruto notes, packs a punch behind it – and Rogers lacks no skill in using it defensively either. Still, Naruto is fast by even shinobi standards. Faster still with his father’s jutsu.

His clones get a few hits in before they’re all popped, Rogers finally deciding to throw the shield and let it go through a few clones before bouncing off the glass wall to return to him. All while taking on the last two clones with only his fists.

Naruto smiles as the last clone pops.

“I take it you’re the real one?” Rogers asks, not even out of breath.

His smile only grows wider, “That shields pretty cool.”

“Yeah,” Rogers huffs a laugh, “it’s pretty useful too.”

It’s just as he’s about to send out more clones that an alarm goes off with a voice speaking over it, “Sir, it seems there’s a bank robbery on park avenue and the police are requesting the Avenger’s assistance.”

“They can’t handle it?” Clint asks. Although Naruto notes that he has already started to move towards one of the weapons racks off to the side, grabbing extra arrows.

“Apparently, they are using powerful weapons of unknown origin, and they have taken hostages.”

“Stark, you go ahead. Widow, you fly the jet to drop Clint and I off,” Rogers says, already starting towards the elevator, “We shouldn’t need everyone for this, so the rest of you stay behind in case it’s a distraction.”

“We should take the newbies with us,” Stark speaks up, already suiting up, “it’ll let them see how we get things done.”

Rogers nods, “You two come with Clint and I then.”

It’s a short ride, and Stark is already on the ground by the time they get there. Hoods on and masks pulled up, they follow the other two off the quin jet, Natasha pulling the plane away and back to the tower.

“Eleven hostages, and we got less than ten minutes before they start killing them. We got two guarding the door. If we go in the front they’ll start shooting,” Stark says as Rogers walks up. “They cut the power so the security cameras are down, which means Jarvis can’t get into the system. I’ve got a few nano-bugs in there working on it, but it’s slow-going.”

“Any idea what kinds of weapons they got?”

“Alien tech. A few of the bugs got a picture and it looks pretty similar to the chitauri’s weapons,” Stark tells them with a shake of his head. “The kids been reporting seeing more of it on the streets, but whoever’s selling it is damn good at covering their tracks.”

“Kid?” Naruto asks, because as far as he knows this world doesn’t have child soldiers the way his does.

“Spiderman,” Stark tells him.

Naruto blinks, he thought they were older. Huh.

“Alright, we need to move fast, here. We don’t want anyone getting hurt.” Steve refocuses the conversation, “Tony, can those nano-bugs tell us where they have the hostages?”

“On it.”

“Clint, get in through the vents, rafters, whatever. We need eyes on the inside that can give us immediate updates. Once Stark gets a location on the hostages try and get to them.”

“Aye-yai, Captain,” Clint flicks two fingers from his forehead, already moving away to presumably find a way in.

Naruto watches all of this with interest, he’s never really seen the team from this angle before; only read up on the aftermath of their interference. They seem perfectly fine on their own. Naruto sees no reason they would need him and Sasuke on their side, if not to simply keep tabs on two powerful people. A glance at Sasuke tells him the Uchiha is thinking the same thing.

Still, these people can help them get home. And even if Naruto isn’t sure that’s something he _wants_ right now, he knows that not pursuing it as an option would make him regret it.

It’s when he glances away from Sasuke that he sees the downed officers, too far away from the safety of the police barricade to be moved without being killed. Medics are already surrounding them, but from the amount of blood still pouring from the wounds there is little that they can do without chakra. Naruto nudges Sasuke before making his way over, ducking around the cars lining the street to protect again the weapons that the robbers are wielding. It’s perhaps not the brightest idea, but the officers are hurt and he doubts they’ll make it if they don’t act fast – faster than the plan the avengers have concocted. And he doubts that them saving these people will interfere _that_ much.

The first shot of the alien weapon barely misses him, hitting the care behind with a burst of energy that rocks the entire contraption and puts a dent in the side. He skids to a stop, letting Sasuke reach the group first and drawing the fire towards him. Naruto has always been better at distractions anyway.

With a smile that is more Kurama than anything else he pulls up his chakra and creates four clones. Three staying behind to act as if they will enter the building, while he and the other move to assist the medics and Sasuke.

_“The man won’t make it without chakra,”_ Sasuke is telling him before he’s even kneeling, _“and if we move the woman she’ll lose the ability to walk.”_

Naruto frowns; they aren’t Sakura. And despite their teammate trying to drill medical ninjutsu into their heads, Naruto’s control is nowhere good enough, while Sasuke only knew the basics. Not enough to heal a spinal injury.

_“How long do we have?”_

_“Enough.”_ Sasuke tells him. _“I’ll do what I can, but if we don’t move them soon_ _they won’t survive.”_

“What’s your name?” Naruto asks the woman.

“Avery,” she says, eyes wide as they look up at him.

He is a shinobi, he comes from a world where the choice to live is not always the best one, and the choice to die isn’t one at all. Living with this injury, living without walking, may as well be a death sentence to a shinobi – Gai lives with it every day, and no matter how bright that man is, Naruto can see the pain in his eyes. Has heard of it from a drunk Lee, and watched the way Tenten’s smile always strained when she talked about her sensei.

But that isn’t his choice to make.

Naruto smiles, bright and warm, even if she couldn’t see it. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

The woman looks at him, eyes a hazel brown, wide and worried – scared. “Promise?”


	8. Chapter 8

Naruto’s smile doesn’t waver, even as his mind runs through the possibilities – none of them sounding good. “Promise.”

**_“Fool.”_** Naruto has to agree, but the trust – the _relief_ – in the woman’s eyes is reason enough.

_“I’ll clones to cover you,”_ Naruto tells Sasuke. “ _If we can get the man out of here, and then focus on the woman.”_

Sasuke gives him a nod, already sliding the man onto his back. Two clones pop into existence, following after Sasuke as he makes his way out from behind the turned over police car. The medic that had been looking after the man watches in shock at the speed their patient disappears. But, Naruto has to say, they _do_ get over it fast. Moving to help the remaining woman with every bit of professionalism back in place.

There is a siren, and the screech of wheels as what Naruto assumes is an ambulance pulling away with the man inside. His clones pop, confirming his suspicions.

_“Naruto, they’ll need to move her eventually,”_ Sasuke says as he reappears.

_“I wish Sakura were here,”_ he says before he even realizes. It makes him pause, thinking about Konoha and team seven as they used to be – before Sasuke and Sakura went off and got married. Before Naruto had settled for Hinata and a family he wasn’t even sure he wanted. Before.

_“There’s no use wishing,”_ Sasuke tells him. Although the look his friend sends his way says Sasuke can tell _exactly_ what Naruto is thinking.

“We need to move you,” he tells Avery, meeting the woman’s eyes. “Your spine,” he pauses, licking his lips. “It’s damaged, if we move you-.”

“I won’t walk again.” the woman interrupts him, nodding her head, a laugh escaping her lips. It’s not a pretty laugh. There’s no humor in it. No joy. It is wet and high. Lost in pain and hysteria as the full situation comes crashing down.

“Avery,” one of her medics cut in, “if we don’t move you now you’ll die of blood loss. The wound in your side… we need to remove the metal and repair it, or it won’t matter how much blood we give you.”

“So, it’s either I die,” Avery says, her lips twitching as she struggles to fight back tears, “or I can’t walk.”

_“Sasuke-.”_

_“There’s nothing we can do,”_ Sasuke says, shaking his head, _“if we heal the wound with chakra it leaves the metal. And-.”_

_“And she’s bleed internally,”_ Naruto finishes.

“Well,” Avery huffs out, drawing Naruto’s attention, “I told my son I’d be home for dinner, so let’s get this over with.”

It’s easy - getting her and the two medics to one of the many waiting ambulance; just a few shadow clones and a bit of chakra enhanced running. The last thing Naruto sees is the two medics shooting them grateful looks as the doors close. From there it’s only ten more minutes until the bank situation comes to an end. The hostages are released, and the robbers placed under arrest.

The entire operation wraps up rather nicely, Naruto admits. The Avengers the heroes, and the robbers facing this world’s justice. Really, it’s not until they return to the tower for debriefing – something he assumes is similar to mission reports – that he understands why Stark insisted that they come along.

The news networks are happily displaying the way they were _teaming_ up with the Avengers. How the two strangers that go around fighting small crime and protecting mutants are suddenly seen with three of the Avengers at the scene of a crime. How they saved to officers and medics.

Naruto holds in a snort as the television is shut off, drawing his eyes back to the rest of the room. They only wanted him and Sasuke along to display their newest recruits. The news reporters even speculated that him and Sasuke would stop helping with smaller crimes now – as if.

“It was a good operation,” Rogers says, staring the meeting officially, “no casualties.”

“Why do I get the feeling there’s a ‘but’ coming,” Barnes mutters.

“But the robbers were using alien technology,” Rogers continues.

“The question is where they’re getting it from.” Stark adds.

Natasha leans forwards then, “It’s not that far of a stretch to assume cleanup didn’t get everything. There are plenty of people capable of using the chitarui ships to create weapons.”

“And there are plenty of people looking to upgrade their guns,” Stark says.

“SHIELD’s already handling the investigation,” Natasha tells them.

“Funny,” Stark snorts, “with how many alien weapons we’ve seen recently I thought they hadn’t started.”

“Stark.”

“What?” Stark raises an eyebrow, “I’m just saying, for an all-seeing organization-.”

“Enough, Tony,” Rogers interrupts this time.

“Tony’s right,” Thor says.

Naruto spaces out from there, letting the white noise of the conversation wash over him. It’s interesting, he has to say – seeing the Avengers like this. But there is something bugging him about the situation. The alien technology has been popping up for months on his and Sasuke’s radars, but only weeks on the Avenger’s. Which means whatever operation is going on is getting bigger, and those buying the weapons are not only getting bolder but more dangerous. And those making the weapons are getting more well known.

_“The weapons gaining popularity,”_ Naruto mutters, quiet, and easily dismissed for the commotion the others in the room are making, but Sasuke hears him as he always does.

_“Dobe, the_ sellers _are the ones gaining popularity,”_ Sasuke eyes him. _“It can’t be easy starting to sell illegally. You need to build a reputation first.”_

_“You think it’s only one group?”_

Sasuke shrugs one shoulder, _“They probably only recently got into it, too, or they wouldn’t have started by selling to such small-time gangs.”_

They fall back into silence as the meeting continues around them. There are mentioned of sending out spies to infiltrate or act as interested buyers – there are talks of reconnaissance missions and hacking into the cities’ security systems. The more the Avengers talk the more Naruto is sure that he’s about to make the right decision.

“I could send out clones,” he says, loud enough to draw attention. “They could easily scout the city within a day or two.”

Rogers look from him to the others and then back again, a smile on his face that is more bemused than anything else, “I don’t think a few clones will be enough to cover the city.”

Sasuke shifts in his seat next to Naruto, the motion more to cover the smirk and growing humor in his eyes than anything else. Naruto himself doesn’t bother.

“Try a thousand.”

 

 

 

They go on patrol as the clones search the city, a henge on each to try and blend into the crowds of a city that never sleeps. He barely feels the chakra drain, although the thought of feeling them pop is not one he anticipates – having so many memories bombard him won’t exactly be the most pleasant experience. But at least they are helping. At least they are removing dangerous weapons from the streets.

Although he must say that the shocked expressions on the Avengers’ faces when he had produced so many clones had been more than worth it as well.

Three hours they work through a randomized route of the area. Three hours they try work to stop small crimes and help those who are suffering at the hands of gangs and thugs. Three hours and they arrive back at the tower only to find out that they have the option of separate rooms. JARVIS informs them, as Stark is in his labs and the other – those not asleep – are scattered across the tower. They follow the voice up to their designated floor, and are told that they may choose which rooms to stay in. Separately, or together.

For so long now they have been sleeping next to each other - not in the same bed, but within reach should something happen to either – that even the thought of not having Sasuke next to him sends a nervous bolt of energy through his chest.

Naruto meets Sasuke’s eyes, and whatever the Uchiha sees makes him snort, “Don’t be stupid, dobe.” Sasuke grabs his wrist with an iron grip.

The tightness in his chest eases.


	9. Chapter 9

Naruto wakes slow, eyes opening as sleep recedes. The blurriness clears just as slow, senses coming back to reality with a sluggishness that comes from a feeling of safety tucked against his chest.

“Dobe.” Sasuke’s voice has an edge of irritation to it, he notes, but it is not sharp with anger so he elects to ignore it, “Get off.”

With a huff he extracts himself from Sasuke’s side, letting the Uchiha slip out of bed and disappear into the bathroom. He rolls over to face the window, taking in the dark sky outside only just being hinted with lighter shades. It’s almost dawn then. His clones should be popping soon. Hopefully they found _something,_ the sooner they get these weapons off the streets, the better.

“I wonder if anyone else is up,” he mumbles to himself and Kurama as he makes his way towards the bathroom. He might as well get ready for the day, after all.

“Sir is in his lab, and the Captain is in the kitchen,” JARVIS’ disembodied voice answers as Naruto pushes the bathroom door open; he doesn’t let himself jump in surprise. But the fact that JARVIS answered at all confirms that Stark has security everywhere.

Sasuke glances at Naruto through the mirror as he grabs his tooth brush to join him. A silent understanding goes through them – they’ll need to be careful what they say in this building.

By the time they make it to the kitchen Barnes and Romanoff have joined Rogers at the table, coffee cups in each of their hands. The three of them look up as Naruto and Sasuke enter, but Naruto would bet that JARVIS warned them of their arrival.

“Morning,” Naruto says with a smile; an offer of comradery if nothing else.

“Good morning,” Rogers responds, a nod accompanying the words.

“There’s fruit in the fridge if you want breakfast,” Romanoff tells them, “Tony keeps everything pretty well stocked.”

He opens his mouth, but before he can even get a word out Sasuke interrupts, “You’re not having ramen.”

“But-.”

 ** _“If I have to taste cheap noodles this early I will eat_ you, _”_** Kurama growls.

From the smirk that crosses Sasuke’s face the Uchiha knows the fox is on his side.

“Ramen?” Rogers asks, brow raised.

“It’s the food of the gods.” Naruto sinks into a chair.

“Food of the gods,” Barnes mouths, a look of humor on his face, “I think Thor would disagree.”

“What would I disagree with?” Thor asks as he enters the room.

“That ramen is the food of the gods,” Romanoff says.

Thor pauses, as if in thought, “Impossible, I’ve never even hear of it.”

“You… You’ve never had ramen?” Naruto looks at Thor with shock.

“Is it good?”

“The best,” Naruto says with feeling.

“I would like to try it, then,” Thor says with a nod. “Does Stark have any?”

“You can’t have instant ramen for you first time,” Naruto tells him, already reaching towards the other blond. He can still sense the seal at the ramen shop they used to work at, so it shouldn’t take _that_ much chakra to get there.

“Naruto,” Sasuke starts saying, rounding the table with all the speed he can manage, “don’t-.”

 

 

 

There is a headache building behind his eyes. A Naruto sized headache, specifically. With a sigh that he lets out through his nose Sasuke meets the gazes – and weapons – of the other Avengers.

“They’re fine,” he says. Really, Naruto will _pay_ for leaving him to clean up the mess he caused. “It’s a teleportation jutsu.”

“Teleportation? Son, do you really think we’d believe that?” Rogers says, voice low and eyes sparking with his resolve. Their distrust makes sense, really. Sasuke even commends them for it, because bringing them into their homes and into their band of heroes without really _knowing_ them seemed… stupid, really. To see such caution now is refreshing.

It doesn’t mean he has to _like_ it, however.

And perhaps setting them all under a genjutsu isn’t the solution that he _should_ have gone to in this situation but _should_ has never stopped him before and he would rather eat his breakfast in peace. Besides, all it does is make them more open to the idea that Thor is safe. Nothing too bad, nor is it entirely as effective as he would like. These people have practically no chakra, to attach _any_ form of illusion to the miniscule amount takes control on par with Sakura’s. (Naruto, he knows, can’t even sense their signatures.) And while his control has reached levels well above jounin in recent years – one handed hand-signs requiring it – that doesn’t mean it’s _perfect._

(Thor had been different, his signature was at least three times what these people have – however strange it may be.)

Instead of the trust he expects all he gets is a set of calmer, although still concerned, Avengers.

“They’ll be back in an hour,” he says as he sits down; leaving now wouldn’t be a good idea – letting them see him and think that they have an advantage in numbers will make everything go smoother.

“He is telling the truth, if I may interject.” JARVIS’ voice sounds from the walls, “There has been a large amount of tweets about Thor being spotted at a ramen shop on East fifth street.”

Sasuke takes a small satisfaction in watching the others slowly relax back into their seats. And a large satisfaction at knowing Kurama is going to kill the dobe for eating ramen for breakfast. Again.


End file.
